Reading  the news this morning and coming across “Federal Government offers newlyweds $200 voucher to attend marriage counselling” I nearly choked on my coffee, I thought when that was suggested prior to the election it was just a dodgy feel-good brain fart to make the Australian Christian Lobby & other God Squad groups feel confident about backing the Liberals.  Sadly, no, looks like Kevin Andrew’s is going ahead with it.

If that didn’t make me cranky enough, this tweet from the lovely Pattie pushed me over the edge:

Cranky Pants Noely @YaThinkN
Federal Government offers newlyweds $200 voucher to attend marriage counselling http://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/federal-government-offers-newlyweds-2...
I'm sure Single Parents will applaud

Pattie Hob @PattieHob
Follow
@YaThinkN  A marriage prep course cost $240 through Kevin and Marg Andrews http://marriageeducation.com.au  Company!
5:43 AM - 23 Jan 2014

I could not believe that even with the dodgy mates who have been employed recently, see recent rant “Why is a cop held to a higher standard of integrity than an MP?”, surely this was just a coincidence?  Off I went googling...

What did I find.  Well, a 'Whois Record lookup' of MarriageEducation.com.au shows the registrant contact as "Margaret Andrews".  But hey, pretty common name, may not be Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews (who is implementing this program) wife?

So next step, thought I would have a look at the honourable MP’s Register of Interests, you can download the pdf 'here', though I have screenshot the relevant item in the graphic above.  I could be wrong, but reckon the chances that Margaret Andrews of Marriage Education Programme Inc. is the same Margaret Andrews who is Kevin Andrew’s wife and it is just a ‘coincidence’ that Marriage Education Programme Inc. is also on this register? 

I won’t even get into why the hell an organisation that is charging $240 a chat for a Marriage Preparation Course can be of a charitable status?  Though I suppose I should not be surprised as many social services over the past decade or so seem to have been taken over by religious organisations.  Not that the website for Marriage Education Programme Inc. really screams ‘Catholic’?

Marriage Education Programme Inc.: ABN: 28481381568: Tax Status: GST Concession FBT Rebate Income Tax Exemption: Charity Type: Charitable Institution: Org Type: Other Incorporated Entity

Anyhow, charity or not, just the fact that Mr Andrew’s is implementing a policy that his wife is directly going to benefit from has to be a conflict, in fact, he belonging to the Australian Catholic Marriage & Family Council has to be a conflict?  It really is not the done thing to put in place a Government policy that directly benefits your ‘religion’ and personal area of interest in that religion?

We have only just recently been told we need a review of Welfare, it is unsustainable...

When there are single parents who are at this very moment stressing and feeling ashamed that their children may be going back to school with holes in their shoes but they can’t afford to replace, yet $200 (which would well & truly pay for those shoes) is going to newly-weds, who are probably going to spend a fortune on a wedding bash anyhow?  That to me is just highly offensive.   To see that Kevin Andrew’s wife & his religious interest could possibly benefit at the expense of more worthy people is beyond offensive

But hey, what would I know, I am sure we will find out that this is all perfectly legitimate and I am just a dumb punter who doesn't think this passes the pub poll test...
Noely

PS: If you are interested in learning a bit more about the Andrews, this piece by Benjamin Law from 2010 is interesting "Up close and personal with Margaret Andrews" - thanks @johnnybridge2 for bringing this blast from the past to my attention


http://yathink.com.au/article-display/200-marriage-counselling-voucher-is-offens...

Swagman wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2014 at 9:39am:


She might say she is dumb but a least she can write a article and not one liners like some people on here

So who is the dumb one?

Armchair_Politician wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2014 at 9:51am:


Then the idiot comes on with four words and think it is a good intellect conversation

If you want to see a article I wrote check this out , then write a article and get it publish and see how good you are.

I've just posted this on facebook, twitter and will spread this around.

This is a $20 million conflict of interest.

John S wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2014 at 10:45am:



try send it to Newscorp ... see if they'll look into it 

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2014 at 11:02am:

Are you actually defending this?

Kevin Andrews has just introduced $20 million for relationship counselling and his own wife runs a business that will benefit from it?

If this isn't a conflict of interest, what is?

from the article:

Quote:


Now thats a conflict of interest if ever I've seen one.

Swagman wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2014 at 12:44pm:


FD might disagree with you there .....